7 Baked Potato Recipes to Make You Forget About the Sweet Ones

7 Baked Potato Recipes to Make You Forget About the Sweet Ones

Baked potatoes have been on the healthy-eating blacklist for too long. Sure, sweet potatoes are delicious and slightly lower in carbs, but really, the white ones are just fine in our opinion. It’s the mounds of butter, sour cream, and cheese that often top regular ol’ potatoes that tip them into the unhealthy category. Switch out those toppings for veggies, ground turkey, or a runny egg to make a healthier spud. We’ve made it easy by rounding up our favorite recipes you can make right inside a baked potato—less mess and less time in the kitchen is a win-win in our book.

Twice-baked potatoes are 10/10 worth the extra cook time, especially since all you have to do is stick them in the oven and be patient enough to wait till they’re crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Spicy buffalo chickpeas and cauliflower make for a perfect addition to the potatoes—just scoop out a tablespoon or so from each potato half and you’ve got the perfect vessel for the spicy (vegan!) goodness.

Chickpea pesto, bacon, and kale is a combo we didn’t know we were missing, but are so glad to have. After baking the potatoes, scoop out the flesh to save for another dish (mashed potatoes, anyone?), then fill each half with some of the blended kale mixture. Bake for another few minutes and dig in.

Feel like a boss in the kitchen with this pretty dish. All you have to do is cut slits into potatoes, being careful not to cut all the way through. Bake for 30 minutes, then take the potatoes out of the oven and fill in each gap with thin slices of creamy Gruyere cheese, rosemary, chives, salt, and pepper. Another few minutes in the oven and you’ve got a hot dinner ready to go.

Taco stuffing tastes good inside just about anything, so it’s no surprise baked potatoes make a great base for it too. This simple recipe calls for lean ground beef, which you can brown in a skillet while the potatoes are cooking, mixed with a little taco seasoning (DIY with 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne). Last step? Add all your favorite toppings—lettuce, diced tomatoes or salsa, guacamole, and onions.

This lighter take on a classic cheesy-broccoli combo uses Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, lots of broccoli, and tons of spices to bring out allllll the flavor. Did we mention we love twice-baked potatoes?

“Loaded” takes on a whole new meaning with the these veggie-filled potato skins. Peppers, onion, and corn brighten up the dish and pack in the nutrients, while black beans give it a healthy dose of protein. Add a little crumbled bacon and shredded cheese on top to round out the meal (mmm).

Repeat after us: Breakfast for dinner is always a good idea. Swap out your usual toast/wrap/other breakfast bread for baked potatoes, which conveniently turn into a cooking tool when scooped out. Fill each potato half with a cracked egg, chopped bacon, and cheese, and bake away. Why didn’t we think of this sooner?!